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Saturday, July 8, 2017

MOM : Movie Review

‘Mom’ Devoh Bhavah!

Image Courtesy: wikipedia.org

Reviewer’s Thumb Mark

Debutant Director Ravi Udyavar’s film ‘MOM’ is a
family crime thriller with Sridevi playing the pivotal role of a mom to two
young daughters. After ‘English Vinglish’ in 2012, Sridevi appears to be quite
determined to win your hearts by her terrific performance as a mother who is
disturbed by the unpleasant events that has rocked her family life.

‘MOM’ reminds you of many other similar films - like
Ashtar Sayed’s ‘Maatr’ featuring Raveena Tandon and Kim Yong-han’s South Korean
crime drama film ‘Don’t Cry Mommy’. Having said this, the topic is so sensitive
and socially relevant that such films still stirs your heart and leaves you
disturbed. ‘MOM’ also reminds us that though as humans we have become hi-tech
but live in a society that is still barbaric in its act.

Image Courtesy: bollywoodmdb.com

Mom features an ensemble of highly talented actors
like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Akshaye Khanna, Abhimanyu Singh, Sajal Ali (Pakistani
Actor), Adnan Siddiqui (Pakistani Actor) and the versatile Sridevi. What MOM fails
to offer is a unique story but it triumphs in terms of performance and handling
the story sensitively.

Sajal Ali as Arya, the traumatized rape victim and
Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the middle-aged Daryaganj based private detective
Dayashankar Kapoor (DK) needs special mention for their stellar performances. Nawazuddin
has always surprised us and he continues to do so in MOM too.

AR Rahman’s music and more than half a dozen songs
in MOM fails to find space in your heart and mind even though they claim to
have tried hard to be highly unconventional. MOM as a film nose dives when it
stick to the traditional and clichéd Bollywood style climax which is highly
predictable and boring. Shifting the films location for the climax seems forced
and diffuses realism to a great extent.

Image Courtesy: deccanchronicle.com

Moreover, Sridevi as Devki Sabharwal sounds more
like a South Indian because of her accent that is quite contrast to her title ‘Mrs.
Sabharwal’ in the film. Devki, a Biology teacher is found to be tech savvy and
quite at ease in attempting burglary. Akshayye Khanna’s role as Mathew Francis,
the super cop is limited to give more focus to Devki. Girish Kohli’s screenplay
is flawed at many parts of the movie. Adnan Siddiqui as Anand has nothing
substantial to do except feel helpless. Making a woman centric film doesn’t
mean that one should undermine the other characters’ contributions and
importance in developing the story to its hilt.

In short, MOM is all about what you have seen and
heard before but it is watchable because of its cast and performances. Moreover,
‘MOM’ is Sridevi’s 300th movie and has released in the 50th
year of her film career and therefore, she deserves to be appreciated for her
incredible roles she has played onscreen convincingly. So, go and watch for her
and for the subject it handles.